Device for manipulating fuse-boxes.



G. S: NEELEY. DEVICE FOR MANIPULATING FUSE BOXES. APPLICATION map MAY22. I916.

MVMidZ' Geayafi. New

UNITED STATES PATENT o EIoE.-.

GEORGE SPENCER NEELEY, OF ST. 'LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS 0. MOLONEY, OF ST LOUIS, MISSOURI.

DEVICE FOR MANIPULATING FUSE-BOXES.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 191 '7.

Application filed May 22, 1916. Serial No. 99,173.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE SPENCER NEE- LEY, a citizen of the .UnitedStates, residing in the county of St. Louis, State of Missouri, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Devices for Manipulating F use-Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to a special form of implement designed for use-inmanipulating the fuse plugs of cut-out boxes of the type commonlyemployed on electrical distribution lines.

It is common practice in electrical distribution systems to employ afuse box or cut-out which is supported on one of the poles carrying thedistribution lines, and within which is housed a fuse which is normallydisposed in the circuit from the high tension distribution line to 'atransformer or a branch line. The purpose of such a device, of course,is to afford protection to the transformer or the branch line, againstany abnormal increase in voltage or load on the main line, such as mightresult from a stroke of lightning or other abnormal occurrence. I v

As such fuse devices are commonly employed in connection with linescarrying high voltage, and as it is necessary frequently to remove thefuse plug for the purpose of-replacing a blown fuse, the linemen whoseduty it is to keep the line in operative condition are subjected to aconsiderable risk by virtue of the proximity of the fuse box to the'highpotential lines.

It is the purpose of my invention to pro vide a special form ofimplement, by use of which, the used fuse plug may be removed withoutnecessitating the operators working in dangerous proximity to the highpo tential line.

In the drawings, v

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the novel portion of mydevice, and

Fig. 2' represents a vertical section illustrat-ing its mode ofoperation anduse.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, let the numeral 1indicate a pole which is of convenient length to reach the cut-out whenmanipulated by an operator standing on the ground. At the upperextremity of this pole is mounted a ferrule 2 which carriesascrew-threaded spindle 4 projecting axially. Upon this spindle ismounted by means of interengaging screw threads a clamping member 5.This clamping member includes a nut portion 5 which forms a base andwhich is threaded onto the spindle 4 and a hood portion 5 which is openat one side, and has a topportion 5 formed with a slot retintrant fromthe edge of the top at the open side of the hood. This constructionforms aflange or lip extending horizontally from the sides of the hoodportion toward the axis thereof.

Within the hood portion, and upon the upper extremity of the spindle 4is revolubly mounted a cooperating clamping member which comprises acylindrical member 6 and a resilient member 7, the latter being mountedupon the upper surface of the cylindrical member and having its uppersurface slightly concaved. This resilient member may be of any suitablematerial, such as leather or rubber, and it, together with thecylindrical member may be revolubly secured as described, by means ofthe pintle screw 8.

Extending from therear portion of the hood portion is a lug 9 in whichis mounted a hook 10, the crook thereof being deflected away from thehood portion The size of the hood portion and of the rei ntrant slot inits upper portion are suchas to receive the knob end of the fuse plug ofthe conventional cut-out, and the spacing of the hook member 10 apartfrom the axis of the hood member is sufiioient to accommodate thecut-out box when the knob is seated within the hood member, asillustrated in Fig. 2. In the use of this device, the lineman, who maybe standing on the ground, places the hood member over the knob of thedesired i'use plug, which comes to proper position against the innermostedge of the reentrant slot, and then rotates p the pole to screw thespindle 4 upwardly in "the nut portion 5. This, of course, operates tobring the cooperating clamping member carried on the end of the spindle.

sion to retain the plug in this position, the operator, by pullingdownwardly on the pole 1, may remove the plug from the cutout box, andlower it to within hand reach. When the fuse is renewed, the plug may bereplaced in the cut-out box by reversing the operations just described.In screwing and unscrewing the clamping members relative to the fuseplug, the hook 10 forms a' stop member which will prevent the rotationof the clamping member 5, and thereby permit the screwing of the spindleinto the latter.

By use of this device, it is unnecessary for the linemen to placethemselves in dangerous proximity to conductors carrying high potential,it is unnecessary to ascend the pole, and the handling of the fuse plugis facilitated, as it may be removed from its box to the ground withoutdanger of its falling and breaking.

The hook form of the stop member 10 permits the use of the device as aswitch hook which is commonly employed in opening fuse boxes, removingfuse switches, and

similar operations.

I am aware that the device herein illustrated and described issusceptible of modifications and variations without departing from thescope of my invention as indicated in the following claims.

VVhat-I claim is:

1. A device for manipulating electrical fuse plugs comprising a pole, aclamping member supported at one extremity'of the pole and movablerelative thereto, a c ooperating clamping member mounted at said end ofthe pole and operable relative to the -clamping member mounted on saidspindle and movable relative to the first mentioned clamping member byoperation of the pole and adapted to engage a fuse blockto clamp itagainst the first mentioned clamping member.

3. A device for manipulating electrical cut-outs including a pole, aspindle supported at one end thereof, a clamping member havingscrew-thread engagement on the spindle whereby the two may be movedrelatively in a direction longitudinally of the pole, said clampingmember having a flange or lip portion of reentrant marginal contour andextending in a direction transversely of the pole, and a cooperatingclamping member carried on the spindle and movable toward and from saidflange for clamping cooperation therewith.-

4-. A device of the class described 'comprising the combination of apole, a spindle mounted thereon and projecting axially from oneextremity thereof. a clamping 'member having screw-thread engagementwith the spindle for movement longitudinally thereon, said clampingmember having a transversely extending reentrant clamping lip spacedapart from the extremity of said spindle, a cooperating clamping membermounted on the spindle and movable toward and from said clamping lip byoperation of the pole, and a stop member projecting from the clampingmember at one side of the axis thereof.

5. A device for manipulating fuse cutouts comprising a. pole,-a spindleprojecting at one extremity thereof, a clamping member havingscrew-thread engagement with said spindle for longitudinal movementthereon, said clamping member having a transversely directed clampingflange spaced apart from said spindle, and a cooperating clamping memberrevolubly mounted on the spindle and movable therewith toward and fromsaid clamping flange.

6. A device for manipulating electrical fuse blocks comprising a pole, aspindle movable therewith and projecting axially from the extremitythereof, aclampingmember having screw-thread mounting on said spindle,said clamping member being formed with a transversely directed flangespaced apart from the spindle and having an open-sided slot therein inalinement with the pole, and a cooperating clamping member mounted onthe spindle and movable therewith by operation of the pole toward andfrom the clamping flange.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 19th day of May, 1910.

GEORGE SPENCER NEELEY.

lVitnesses:

M. P. SMITH, I M. A. HANDEE.

